Lourdes Macalindong, vice president for sales and marketing for SM Hotels and Conventions Corp., in a press conference, said the Park Inn by Radisson Hotels will soon rise within the 10-hectare SM City Lanang, north of Davao City.

Macalindong said SM City Lanang is a mixed-use complex comprising of mall, a proposed convention center and the 204-room Park Inn hotel. The hotel will have 198 regular rooms and six suites or a total of 204 rooms.

“The Park Inn, which is a Carslon brand of hotel will be the first in the Philippines and in Davao City, and first ever in Asia,” she said.

Macalindong said the hotel is very edgy, hip and trendy with vibrant colors in its logo and rooms, and well-sized kind of furniture.

Park Inn hotels are mostly found in Europe and the Unites States. The world-class hotel which will sit on a two-hectare property of 8,800 square meters land area and 2,000 square meters floor area, will have its ground breaking next month while its completion is targeted on 2013 simultaneous with the completion of the over 500,000 sitter SMX Convention Center, she said.

Treena Tecson, director of marketing communications sales and marketing, SM Hotels and Conventions Corp., said Park Inn hotel’s main market is from the business sector particularly those who will be coming for a convention at the SMX Convention Center.

Tecson said the hotel will be constructed beside the huge convention center. Also, the Park Inn hotel is designed to boost domestic tourism in Davao City.

She said the coming in of a Carlson brand of hotel in Davao City is an indicator that Davao City is an emerging convention center in the country.

SM Hotels and Conventions Corp., a newly created division of the SM Investments, has already built about three hotels in the Philippines, with the Park Inn Hotel in Davao City as the fourth.

The other three are in the cities of Cebu, General Santos and Tagaytay.

Tecson said the SM hotels is a dream come true by business tycoon Henry Sy who dreamt of building hotels when he first went to Tagaytay and visited a small hotel.

In love to Tagaytay’s beautiful scenery, Sy promised to build the hotel into a five-store hotel now named Taal Vista Hotel, which is considered a landmark hotel in Tagaytay, together with the birth of the SM Hotels and Conventions Corp., she added.

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Boncato said the city is capable of hosting the most sought-after event of the tourism industry and is ready for MICE as it has all the factors needed to host conventions, meetings and exhibits.

Earlier, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio announced that they already bidded for MICE come September 2012 even as the mayor stressed that her administration’s priority is tourism and investments.

Boncato said the City Mayor’s Office had furnished them copy of the Davao City government’s communication to DOT Manila that they are interested and capable of hosting the MICE next year.

Participants to MICE is about 300 owners of companies, CEOs, and exhibitors and the facilities and needs of these executives and officers are available here, he said.

“All that these players are looking for can be found here from souvenir shops to accommodations, attractions and access for tourist spots with numerous natural destinations. The hotels’ food and beverage departments are of world class standards,” he said.

He said the DOT is working with the city government with regards the Department’s program for MICE by carrying the message “Let’s Meet In Davao”.

This, he said is to promote aggressively Davao City as MICE destination to get those markets interested in meetings and conventions in order to finally develop linkage with investors that would create bigger facilities for conventions and events.

Right now Davao Region is an advantage because it sits in the MICE Advisory Council together with the National Capital Region and Region VI.

Among the cities that already hosted the MICE were Manila and Subic and Cebu City will be hosting it this year.

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Simple wonders from nature, the warmth of its people, and simple but top of the class amenities for tourists from all walks of life are high on the list.

The Davao City Tourism Operations Office said there are the 10 things that sets Davao City apart from the rest:

1. Typhoon-Free Zone — Because Davao City is absolutely typhoon-free and enjoys good weather all year round, there is an abundance of flora and fauna as well as food, water, and livelihood.

It is also ideal for outdoor activities because of the stable weather condition. It is a good season for adventure and sports anytime of the year so one is not limited to just the summer months.

2. Best water in the world — Davao City’s tap water has been tested internationally for quality against all the major bottled waters sold in the market and was adjudged the best in terms of cleanliness, safety, mineral content, and taste.

No need for boiling, distilling, purifying, adding of minerals. It is absolutely perfect. And no less than the World Health Organization has certified that it is the best in the world.

3. Multi-cultural and cosmopolitan people — Davao City is home to at least 10 major indigenous tribes, both Islamized and non-Islamized, as well as migrant settlers (mostly Christianized) from all over the Philippines and a growing global community of expatriates with different languages, cultural traditions, religious beliefs, and political persuasions.

As opposed to the rest of the Filipinos who have been colonized by the West, the people of Davao are indigenized — which means that they may come from different places with different ways but when they become residents of Davao, they adopt the multicultural and cosmopolitan way of life, embracing the diversity of the city.

4. Strong and independent local government — The local government of Davao City is much admired by other governments, not just nationally but also internationally.

It is recognized to be ahead than the national government in many ways — in the crafting of landmark pieces of legislation; in pioneering innovations in local governance; in its strong political will in the implementation of policies and programs; in its high level of self-sufficiency; and in its pluralist and liberal political climate that result in significant grassroots and civil society participation.

It is a favorite destination for study tours because it is considered as a model for other cities in the country and in the world.

5. Safest destination — Davao City has one of the lowest crime rates in the world averaging at 0.8 in every 10,000 persons per month. The Davao City Police Office has consistently been chosen as the Best Police Office in the entire country.

The Davao City Peace and Order Council has been elevated to the Philippine Hall of Fame for consistently being the best in the country.

6. Most prepared city to respond to an emergency — Davao City is proud to be the only Asian city that has an integrated emergency response system similar to that of the United States and Canada – the Central 911.

It responds to all kinds of emergency – medical, fire, police assistance, natural or man-made disaster. The only difference between Davao’s 911 and that of the US and Canada is – in Davao the service is absolutely free, totally subsidized by the local government.

The Davao City Disaster Coordinating Council is also recognized as the best prepared disaster coordinating council in the country.

7. Excellent public utilities and infrastructure — Davao City enjoys an abundant and stable supply of water and power 24 hours a day all year round. The Davao City Water District (DCWD) is the number one water utility company in the Asia-Pacific Region among the 50 water utilities in the region.

It is also the Most Outstanding Water District (very large category) for four years given by the Local Water Utilities Administration. On the other hand, Davao Light & Power (DLPC) is third largest privately-owned electric utility in the Philippines.

It is the country’s most efficiently run power utilities, its systems loss rate of 8.13 per cent is well below the government mandated cap of 9.50 per cent. Davao City has a pioneering state-of-the-art traffic system similar to the system in Los Angeles, California.

It is the first city in the Philippines to have an adaptive traffic signalization system. Plans are underway also to make the entire Davao City a Wi-Fi Zone.

8. Healthy Lifestyle — Davao City adheres to a wholesome and healthy lifestyle for its residents and encourages its visitors to pursue the same.

It pioneered the regulation of smoking in public places in the Philippines, which was replicated by other cities and gave birth to the national anti-smoking law.

It has tough policies against dangerous drugs, violence against women and children (including prostitution and human trafficking), and environmental pollution.

It led the ban on aerial spraying of plantations as well as the use of pyrotechnics. It is also in the forefront in the conservation of endangered species such as the country’s national bird, the Philippine Eagle, as well as the protection of the city’s watershed, coastal areas, rivers and gulf.

It also boasts of one of the most progressive and comprehensive reproductive health program in the world.

9. More value for money — Davao City has the freshest and highest quality produce in the country. Its exports of banana, pineapple, orchids, and tuna, among others, are considered the best in the world.

Its pomelo, durian, and mangosteen are sought-after by the rest of the country. Yet these excellent, world-class products remain affordable and accessible to the locals on a daily basis. In Davao, the high quality of life does not come at a high cost.

10. Inclusive, not exclusive — Davao City is open to all, regardless of one’s stature in life. There are no exclusive clubs for the social and economic elite nor are there forbidden ghettos confined to the poor and marginalized.

Children and pets are welcome everywhere. Diversity in religious, political, sexual and gender orientation respected and celebrated. There are no strict dress codes to follow. Celebrities and famous people are treated like everyone else.

No special treatments for those in powerful positions. Everybody is entitled to the same rights and privileges. There is zero tolerance for all kinds of abuse and discrimination.

Elitism and haughtiness are treated with disdain while humility and openness are valued virtues.

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The festival is the fruit of a united Chinese community, working together with the local government.

Figures showed that Davao City has the biggest Chinatown in terms of land area and population. It also has the biggest concentration of Chinese families who have continuously shown the value of hardwork and unity.

The festival will be opened on January 24 with the highlight to be held on the eve of January 25 until 6 in the morning.

Activities include a motorcade of various stakeholders, Chinese families, sponsors, and supporters. A unity dance will also be performed as part of the Chinese culture and traditions. Chinese lanterns will also be lighted during the main event.

The public can also view and learn Chinese cultural heritage as an exhibition will be set up in the Museo Dabawenyo.

Shoppers can also buy Chinese goods from the long-stretch of Chinatown stores along Uyanguren Street which are open until midnight.

Nightly entertainment like Chinese dances and songs will be presented for the viewers to learn and appreciate their presentation.

On January 31, the Arch of Unity and Prosperity will be unveiled as the culmination of the weeklong festival.

Moreover, Chinese families will also provide community feeding in barangays within the Chinatown area.

This is one of the many ways that the Chinese families can show concern and social responsibility to the poor families in their community.

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DoT regional director Sonia Garcia said in line with the celebration, series of activities will be held, aimed at highlighting the various eco-tourism potentials of the region under the general theme of “Culture, Adventure and Nature.”

She said the events are designed to capture the growing market of young professionals and families.

The three-day activities, which will be held at the Atrium of Gaisano Mall Davao, will feature an Exhibit and Showcase where it will specifically target new and existing resorts, adventure packages, destinations, wellness and hospitality centers. It will also showcase select floral companies in the region.

Another event is the On-the-Spot Essay Writing Competition, where regional finals among public and private high school students in the Davao Region who initially qualified in their respective and provincial and city level competitions, will be conducted.

The competition focuses on the need to promote responsible tourism activities and the protection of the environment among the young and the old and the winning entries will be published in leading newspapers and dailies in the region.

The Quiz Bee, on the other hand, is a regional finals among students from colleges and universities offering tourism and hospitality and related courses in the Davao Region. Trivia and general information questions will focus on the Davao Region’s eco-tourism industry, geography and tourism history.

A Photography Competition will also be held and is open to both amateur and professional photographers with two separate categories, namely, festival scenes and tourism destinations.

The official launching of the Search for 30-seconder Davao Region Eco-Tourism Jingle is also part of the regional activity, aimed at encouraging budding composers and hobbyists in honing their creative and artistic musical skills while helping promote responsible eco-tourism. The winning piece will be officially used in all undertakings of DoT Davao.

The Second Canon Kadayawan sa Dabaw Photo Exhibit will feature the entries of 20 finalists of the recently conducted photography competition during the 23rd Kadayawan festival last month. The winners will be declared on the first day of the showcase.